The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-06-24
THE WITCII'S HEAD.
By II. RIDER HAGGARD.

Their third waltz, in which they had dis.
covered that their steps suited better than
ever.
Florence, Dorothy and her brother were
also walking all three together. 1t is curious
how people in misfortune cling 10 one another,
They walked in silence; they had nothing to
say. Presently they caught sight of two tall
figures standing by bush, on which was
liked dying Chinese lantern. IL is some
times unfortunate to be tall, 1t betrays ones
identity; there was no mistakng the two
figures, though 1t was SO dark. lnstinctively
the three halted. And just then the expiring
Chinese lantern did an unknd thing; it
caught fire and threw lurid light upon a
very pretty little scene. Ernest was bending
forward toward Eva with all his soul in his
expressive eyes, and begging for something
She was blushing sweetly and looking down
at the rose in her bosom; one hand too, was
raised as though to unfasten it. The light
was for a moment so strong that Dorothy
atterward remembered noticing how long
Eva's curling black eyelashes looked against
her cheek. In another moment it had ilared
out, and the darkness hid the sequel, but it
may here be stated that when Eva reappeared
i'll the ballroom she had lost her rose
Charming and idyllic as this tableau tres
vivant OF youth and beauty, obeying the
primary law Of nature and making love to
one another in a garden of Eden illumined
with Chinese lanterns, undoubtedly was, it
did not seem to please any Of the three spec.
tators
Jeremy actually forgot the presence of Ia
dies and went so far as to swear aloud. Nor
did they reprove him; probably it gave their
feelings So vicarious relief.
II think mat we had better be going home:
1t is late, said Dorothy, after a pause. "Jer-
envy, will you go and order the carriagen
Jeremy went
Florence said nothing, but she took her fan
in both her hands and bent it slowly, SO that
the ivory sticks snapped one by one with
succession of sharp reports. Then she threw
it down and set her heel upon it and ground
it into the path. There was something mex
pressibly cruel about the way in which she
crushed the pretty toy, the action seemed to
be the appropriate and unconscious outcome
of some mental process; and 1t Is an cdd
proof Of the excitement under which they
were both laboring, that at the time the
gentle minded Dorothy saw nothing strange
about it. At that moment the two girls were
nearer each other than they ever had been
before, or ever would be again; the common
stroke of misfortune for n moment welded
their opposite natures into one. At that mo-
ment, too, they knew that they both loved
the same man; before, they had guessed it,
and had not liked each other the better for it,
but now that was forgotten.
81 think, Florence" said Dorothy, with a
little tremor in her voice, "that we are out
Of the running as Jeremy says. Your sister
is too beautiful for any woman to stand
against her. He has fallen In love with
her."
"Yes,n said Florence, with bitter laugh
and a flash of her brown eyes, "his highness
has thrown a handkerchief to new favorite,
and she has lost no time in picking it up. We
always used to call her the sultana,'n and
she laughed again.
perhaps" suggested Dorothy, ''she only
means to flirt with him little; hoped that
Jeremy
Jeremy what chance has Jeremy against
him2 Ernest would make more way with q
woman in two hours than Jeremy would in
two years. We all love to be taken by
storm, my dear. Do not deceive yourself.
Flrt with him she will love him wildly in a
week. Who could help loving him" she
added, with thrill of her rich voice.
Dorothy said nothing; she knew that it
was true, and they walked for few steps in
silence
dorothy, do you know what generally
happens to favorites and sultanasp
"No.n
"They come to bad end; the other ladies
of the harem murder them, you know"
"What do you meanp
"Don't he frightened; don't mean that we
should murder my dear sister, What do
mean is this, that think we might manage
D.. l., L. - a. a.
plani"
DOrothy's better self had time to assert it
self by now; the influence of the blow was
over, and their natures were wide apart
again.
"No, certainly not" she answered. ernest
| has right to choose for himself, and if your
sister gets the better of U.S. it is the fortune of
war, that is although certainly the fight Is
not quite fair" she added, as she thought of
| Evas radiant loveliness.
| Florence glanced at her companion con-
temptuously.
You have no spirit" she said.
"What do you mean to dol"
"Mean to doln she answered, swinging
! round and facing her; ~ mean to have my
| revenge"
| "Oh, Florence it Is wicked to talk sol
Whom are you going TO be revenged on
| Ernest 1t is not his fault if-if you are fond
| of him.
"Yes, it is his fault; but whether it is his
| fault or not, he shall suffer Remember
what | say, for it will come true; he shall
| suffer. Why should | bear it all alonel But
| he shall not suffer so much as she. told her
| that was fond of him, and she promised tC
| leave him alone-do your hear thatl-and yet
| she is taking him away from me TO crafty
| her vanity-she, who can have anybody she
likes"
| "Hush, Florencel don't give way to your
temper SO, or you will be overheard. Besides
| dare say that we are making a great deal
out of nothing; after all, she only gave him d
| rose."
II don't care il we are overheard, and it Is
| not nothing. guessed that it would be so,
| knew that it would be So and know what il
coming now. Mark my words, within q
month Ernest and my sweet sister will bC
| sitting about on the cliff with their arms
round each others necks. have only to shut
| my eyes and can see it. Oh, here is Jeremy
| Is the carriage there, Jeremyi That's right
come on, Dorothy, let us go and say good
night and be off. You will drop me at the
cottage, won't your
Half an hour later the fly that had brought
Miss Ceswick and Eva came round, and witt
1t Ernest's dog cart. But as Miss Ceswicl
was rather anxious about the injured wheel
Ernest, as in duty bound, offered to see then
safe home, and ordering the cart to follow
got into the fly without waiting for an answer
OF course Miss Ceswick went to sleep, bu
II is not probable that either Ernest or Eva
followed her example Perhaps they wer,
too tired TO talk; perhaps they were begin
| 20 H,I tyha A Aali nj nint,
ship is to be found in silence; perhaps his gen
tie pressure of the little white gloyed hand
that lay unresistingly in his own, was NOR,
eloquent than speech.
Don't be shocked, my reader; you or
would have done the same, and thought our
selves very lucky fellowsl
AT any rate, that drive was over ell to-
soon.
Florence opened the door for them; she hat
told the servant to 60 to bed.
When Eva reached the door OF her room
she turned round to say good night to he
sister; but the latter, instead Of contentini
herself with a nod, as was her custom, cam
and kissed her on the face.
| ~ congratulate you on your dress and o
your conquest and again she kissed her an
was gone.
"It is not like Florence TO be so kind, re
6ected her younger sister. II can't remem
Der when she kissed me last"
| Eva did not know that as there are som
kisses that declare peace and SGT the seal o
love, there are Others that announce war an
proclaim the hour Of vengeance or treachery
Judas kissed his Master when he betraye
Him.
CHAPTER TX.
EVA FINDS SOMETHING.